Fun, Fabulous Fun, Fabulous Fun, Fabulous Fun, Fabulous and (mostly) Free and (mostly) Free and (mostly) Free and (mostly) Free Preschool Projects Preschool Projects Preschool Projects Preschool Projects Recipes, Crafts and Activities Recipes, Crafts and Activities Recipes, Crafts and Activities Recipes, Crafts and Activities For Preschoolers For Preschoolers For Preschoolers For Preschoolers Contributed by the Readers of Contributed by the Readers of Contributed by the Readers of Contributed by the Readers of HeavenlyHomemakers.com HeavenlyHomemakers.com HeavenlyHomemakers.com HeavenlyHomemakers.com
Recipes, Crafts and ActivitiesRecipes, Crafts and ActivitiesRecipes, Crafts and ActivitiesRecipes, Crafts and Activities For PreschoolersFor PreschoolersFor PreschoolersFor Preschoolers
Contributed by the Readers ofContributed by the Readers ofContributed by the Readers ofContributed by the Readers of HeavenlyHomemakers.comHeavenlyHomemakers.comHeavenlyHomemakers.comHeavenlyHomemakers.com
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A Huge Thank You!A Huge Thank You!A Huge Thank You!A Huge Thank You! We have crafts. We have recipes. We have activities. Oh boy, do we have activities!! The readers of HeavenlyHomemakers.com contributed all the ideas, recipes and projects for this e-book. Thank you all for your creativity and for being willing to share your expertise. This wonderful resource would not have been made possible without you. This e-book has well over 100 great ideas that you and your family will love to do together. In it you will find:
Fun with Food...page 3Fun with Food...page 3Fun with Food...page 3Fun with Food...page 3
Fun with Arts and CrafFun with Arts and CrafFun with Arts and CrafFun with Arts and Crafts...page 10ts...page 10ts...page 10ts...page 10
Fun with Role Play and Make Believe...page 12 Fun with Role Play and Make Believe...page 12 Fun with Role Play and Make Believe...page 12 Fun with Role Play and Make Believe...page 12
Fun with Music...page 14Fun with Music...page 14Fun with Music...page 14Fun with Music...page 14
All Kinds of Fun...page 16All Kinds of Fun...page 16All Kinds of Fun...page 16All Kinds of Fun...page 16
www.heavenlyhomemakers.com
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Fun withFun withFun withFun with FoodFoodFoodFood
• Make cookies in a gallon ziplock bag: Put all of the ingredients in the bag, seal, and let the child squish it all together. When it’s mixed, cut the corner from the bag and squeeze balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• Read the book Stone Soup by Tony Ross. Then, make the soup together! Contributed by Stephanie
• Make Edible Peanut Butter Playdough using this simple recipe: 3/4 C. peanut butter 3/4 C. nonfat dry milk 1 T. honey Mix all ingredients together for a dough consistency, play and have fun. When you’re done playing, form shapes and put them on a plate to eat. Or, put your dough on graham crackers. Contributed by Sarah and Rachel
• Make no bake cookies. Contributed by Jenn ½ cup butter 1 ½ cups sugar ¼ cup cocoa ½ cup milk 3 cups oats ¼ cup peanut butter Mix butter, sugar, cocoa and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Keep at a boil, stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from heat and mix in oats and peanut butter. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Refrigerate until set.
• Make pudding paint. Give each kid a bowl of pudding and a spoon and let them either eat it…or paint their bodies with it. Run them through the sprinkler to clean them off. Contributed by Becki at becomingmarynotmartha.blogspot.com
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• Make several batches of unflavored gelatin in different colors red, blue, and yellow. Cut the gelatin into cubes and put them in plastic baggies. The children just love to squish them all up. You can also mix colors (red + blue = purple) to help the little ones learn about making new colors! Contributed by Amanda at mock-n-bird.blogspot.com
• Let your child help knead bread dough (with clean hands!). Children love to squish the dough and since the dough needs to be squished, everyone wins! Contributed by Nicole
• Make Caterpillar Soup: Take a big soup pot and let your little one add water. Then give them old spices to shake in and a spoon to mix it and bowls to ladle it out. When your child is finished playing, put the bowls outside for any animals that may want it. Contributed by Angela
• Take different liquids (milk, water with food color, juice) and different cooking things like flour, sugar, baking soda, salt. Put them each in a separate muffin tin. Give the kids spoons and droppers then let them make science experiments by mixing them together (vinegar and baking soda foam when mixed). Only use things that are safe if eaten. Contributed by Angela
• Mix several different shapes of pasta into a plastic bowl. Get out a muffin pan, and let the child sort different shapes of pasta into them. Depending on the ability of the child, it is best to start with a small amount of each and add to it as he/she becomes able to sort. Contributed by Betsy
• In a bowl mix 2 cups of flour with ¼ cup of dried beans. Pour the flour and beans into a flour sifter. Let the child try to sift the flour out of the sifter to find the beans. Little ones will have lots of fun and build their fine motor skills sifting and digging for the beans. (*Tip: I let mine do this on our gated porch.) Contributed by Donna at momsfrugal.blogspot.com
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Seasonal Seasonal Seasonal Seasonal FunFunFunFun
Warm Weather:
• Pull out the sidewalk chalk. Contributed by Jennifer at savingandgiving.blogspot.com
• Play in the sprinkler or at a water activity table. Contributed by Jennifer at savingandgiving.blogspot.com
• Freeze juice from fruit or food coloring mixed with water in ice cube trays… tape a big sheet of paper to a table and let the kids color with the ice cubes. Contributed by Stephanie
• Take nature walks at your local park. Contributed by Jennifer at savingandgiving.blogspot.com and Rachel
• Fill a sandbox and give the children old plastic containers to fill and dump sand. Contributed by Rachel
• In summer (and if you have a slide), put the hose on top of the slide so the water is falling down it. This turns the ordinary slide into a water park. Contributed by Stephanie
• Give the kids a bucket of water and a couple paintbrushes (house painting size) and let them ‘paint’ the side of your garage or metal shed. (This will work with any surface that can handle some water.) The water will make the shed look a different color, so the kids will have the satisfaction of painting, with no mess at all. By the time they finish a section, the first part of what they painted will have dried, so they can go back over it! Contributed by Kathy Shaner
• Paint with water and big paintbrushes on your sidewalk. On really hot days it’s a bit of a game in and of itself to see how much you can paint before it “disappears”! Contributed by Sarah and Betsy
• Fill a kiddie pool with water and water toys. Contributed by Jenn
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• Take picnics in the park or the backyard. Contributed by Jenn
• Give the kids a hose and bucket. Let them fill up the bucket, dump out the bucket…. fill up the bucket, dump out the bucket … for hours! Contributed by Sharon
• Bubbles! You can even do this indoors on a vinyl floor and then mop it up later. My daughter used to love to try and “get” the bubbles. Great to do outside when there’s a slight breeze and you can watch them float away. Contributed by Sharon
• Plant a garden. Give the kids the responsibility of watering their own garden, and the fun of harvesting the rewards. Contributed by Stephanie
• I like to garden, so to help keep my sanity I let my 2yo help out with her own plants. I was surprised at how captivated she was with such long term projects. We would sprout random dried beans and she would check multiple times a day to see their roots. Once we planted them in dirt, she could hardly stop touching the seedlings as they emerged. (Which did result in their premature death, but that's okay!) Contributed by Nicole
• Keep a Mason jar sitting around with a piece of plastic mesh under the ring. If your child spots a bug he/she thinks is cool, try to catch it in the jar. Contributed by Nicole
Cold Weather:
• Snuggle up and read LOTS of books together! Contributed by Jennifer at savingandgiving.blogspot.com and Miracle at miraclequelle.blogspot.com
• In the winter, build an igloo by packing snow into a flexible bread pan, adding some water and letting it freeze. This will make your bricks. Your kids will love spending hours of playtime in this. Contributed by Stephanie
• Fill a kiddie pool with shredded paper and play in it on the floor in the house during the winter. Contributed by Jenn
• Have a picnic on the living room floor with a blanket. Contributed by Laura
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HandsHandsHandsHands----On On On On FunFunFunFun
• Put shaving cream on a cookie sheet and let the children finger paint with it! Contributed by Natalie
• Finger paint with whipped cream as an alternative to shaving cream if the kids are prone to putting things in their mouths. Contributed by Laura E.
• Play Dough is a favorite. Introduce the Play Dough first, then “tools” later. Those can be all sorts of things you have around the house – canning jar rings, cooking utensils, wooden craft sticks, rubber stamps, or even mint molds. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• Make homemade Play Dough. Contributed by Amy at amysfinerthings.com
Play Dough Recipe #1 1 c. flour 1/3 c. salt 1 Tbsp. Oil 1 Tbsp. cream of tartar 1 c. water food coloring Mix all together and place over low heat. Stir often until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Turn out onto waxed paper and cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Play Dough Recipe #2
2 c. flour 2 Tbsp. Alum 1 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. salt 1 Tbsp. Oil food coloring Heat to boiling the water, salt, oil and food coloring. Stir liquids into dry ingredients. Knead until smooth. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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• Add soap scents to homemade Play Dough. Craft stores like Michaels, Ben Franklin and Hobby Lobby carry soap scents for soap making. Add these to the typical recipe, ½ c. Salt, 1 c. flour, 1 c. water, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 T. Vegetable oil, food coloring. We enjoy the eucalyptus mint during the winter and vanilla lavender during the summer. Contributed by Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
• Make Kool-Aid Play Dough
Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe #1 1 cup flour 1 cup water 1/2 cup salt 3 teaspoons Cream of Tartar 1 package Kool-Aid Mix (any flavor of unsweetened) 1 tablespoon cooking oil Mix dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Slowly add water mixed with oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Turn out onto a heatproof bread board or counter top and knead until cool enough for children to handle. Dough will be the color of the Kool-Aid mix and will smell like the Kool-Aid mix. This can be stored in a tightly covered container for up to six months. Contributed by Becki at becomingmarynotmartha.blogspot.com Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe #2
2 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. salt 2 pkgs. unsweetened Kool-Aid 3 T. oil 2 c. boiling water
Combine the dry ingredients and make a well in the center. Pour the oil and water in the well and stir quickly. The dough will seem a bit sticky and first, but let it set and cool for a while. Once it has cooled for about 10-15 minutes, kneed the dough until it is smooth and soft. Store in an airtight container. Contributed by Natalie
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• Make Moon Sand. Contributed by Nancy 6 cups of play sand (Play sand also comes in different colors, so buy different colored bags to mix things up a little.) 3 cups of cornstarch 1 1/2 cups of cold water Step one: Mix the water and cornstarch together thoroughly; this will take a few minutes to get it nice and smooth. Step two: Gradually mix in the sand, one cup at a time. You’ll need to really work it in with your fingers. Step three: Play with it! Step four: When you’re all done, put it in an airtight container. Step five: When you next play with it, you’ll need to revive it with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Just sprinkle it over and work it in.
• Make a Bean and Rice box. Use a large tupperware bin (with a lid for storage). Fill with rice or beans and add old cups, yogurt, sour cream and/or cottage cheese containers of different sizes. Add a few spoons and maybe a funnel. This is best played outside on a concrete slab. It does make a mess but you can just sweep the rice back up and put it back in the box. You may try this inside during the winter if you have tile floors. Contributed by Becky at talesofaperfectionist.wordpress.com Use a Rubbermaid bin that is big enough for the little ones to get in. Add either dry beans, dry oats, or even biodegradable packing peanuts. Put the bin in the middle of the kitchen floor (although you could also do it on a small tarp over carpet). Strip the baby down to his diaper, and let the fun begin! He can play from the outside of the bin, or he can get inside the bin. When he’s done, sweep up the stuff that has spilled out put it back in the bin. Contributed by Kelly at.keowdieknits.blogspot.com Fill a shallow tub with rice or beans and let children use small tractors, spoons, and bowls to play. It will be hours of fun! Contributed by Amanda at thesikesfamily.blogspot.com
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Fun with Arts Fun with Arts Fun with Arts Fun with Arts and Craftsand Craftsand Craftsand Crafts
• Take empty tissue boxes and wrap them in colorful paper and use them for colorful “big” building blocks or legos. It is inexpensive and lots of fun! Contributed by Amy at puppytufts.blogspot.com
• Use an old oatmeal container or likewise and put a little paint in it. Add a piece of paper and a marble or two. Put the cover on and let the little ones shake like crazy. Contributed by Stephanie
• Create “Sun Art”. Cut out letters of the kids' names with black construction paper. Lay the black letters or whatever shapes you choose onto another dark colored piece of construction paper. Lay it outside in the sun, sheltered from the wind. You can weigh down the letters with rocks or beans.
Use beans and rocks to make designs around the edges of the papers. Contributed by Cassie
• Have a crazy art day. Set all sorts of art supplies out and let the children do whatever they want. They have a great time just being creative. Contributed by Cassie
• Big chunky crayons and paper are great for children – just make sure they’re well supervised. Hint: Mr. Clean Magic Erasers take crayon off of just about anything! Contributed by Mia at miazshomeschoolminutes.blogspot.com
• Place macaroni in baggies and add a few drops of food coloring. Let the child shake it up until the macaroni is colored. String the colored macaroni for necklaces and make pictures by gluing macaroni on construction or white paper. Contributed by Betsy
• Color with crayons, markers, paint, colored pencils, etc. Draw with sidewalk chalk. Make your own chalk by adding food coloring to plaster of paris. Contributed by Jenn
• Let the children use Crayola Color Wonder. They won’t get any stains on their clothes and nothing but the paper gets paint on it. Contributed by Danielle
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• Art materials are better than coloring books to spark imagination. Crayons require a child to use more hand strength, therefore building those fine muscles. Fiskars tend to work better than the cheap plastic variety of scissors, but supervise the child well. For a child using scissors the first time, make some playdough “snakes” and let them cut those, or cut paper into narrow strips and let the child snip away. They can move on to cutting “fringe”, then cutting larger shapes in half, and later can practice cutting on lines. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• When using glue with little ones, put a small amount in a little disposable cup, on a plastic lid, or just a little puddle on some paper, and give them a Q-tip to use for applying the glue. They can glue their “snippings” from cutting, pieces of yard, scraps of fabric and trim, buttons (for older kids), sticks from outside, just normal ’scrap’ stuff from around the house. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• Finger-paints are best for preschoolers, working those fine muscles and providing a wonderful sensory experience. Watercolors will get “muddy”, although if the child doesn’t mind, so be it. If they’re interested in keeping their colors clean, they can be shown how to do so. Sometimes providing several extra brushes helps with that, too. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• Check the “Back to School” sales and stock up on glue sticks, construction paper, crayons and paints, so the children can happily amuse themselves for hours. Contributed by Erika
• Save all of the paper that comes through the house such as things you’ve printed off, junk mail, etc, as long as it has a blank side, including envelopes, and throw it in a big box. That will be the kids’ scrap paper, and it’s always accessible, so they can cut, draw, color, whatever they want. Also keep a box of other raw materials, like construction paper, cardboard, beads, scraps of material, ribbon, etc, available, and books that give craft and drawing ideas. Contributed by Miracle at miraclequelle.blogspot.com
• Try painting with bingo stampers. These are so much easier for children to use than paintbrushes, and they’re cleaner than finger-paints. Contributed by Laura E.
• Create Fingerprint Art: Use non-toxic ink pads to make fingerprints on construction paper. Place the fingerprints on the paper in such a way that they create shapes and objects. Contributed by Josette at catholicmommy-josette.blogspot.com
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Fun with Role Fun with Role Fun with Role Fun with Role Playing and Playing and Playing and Playing and
Make BelieveMake BelieveMake BelieveMake Believe
• Fill a Tupperware container full of dress-up clothes and bring it out on special occasions (perhaps after reading a new exciting book). Let their imagination take over. Contributed by Stephanie
• Dress up like a rock n’ roll star. Make available scarves, hats, sunglasses, guitar hero guitars and brushes (microphones). Blast the music and jump on the couches, bed and go through every room singing. Contributed by Nicole at bngasparks.blogspot.com
• Build a fort or use a queen sized sheet and a couple of kitchen chairs to build a tent in your living room. It doesn’t have to be big for the little ones, and they love to take their toys/books/siblings inside to play. Try to build the tent in the morning so they have it to play in all day, then clean it up before bed. Contributed by Kelly at Keodiknits.blogspot.com and by Stephanie
• Use empty toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls cut into two pieces put together as binoculars and go for scavenger hunts around your house. Depending on what you’re learning about, you can search for certain colors, shapes, letters, or things that start with a particular letter. Contributed by Mary Beth at four silly sisters
• Play kitchen with lots of buttons. Give the children bowls, spoons, pots and pans. Let them spoon buttons into the dishes and create yummy treats. Contributed by Rachel
• Place all your unbreakable kitchen stuff (old plastic containers) with some cooking utensils (wooden spoons, measuring cups) with some craft sticks and/or cotton balls in them on the table. Let the children scoop and measure and stir. Contributed by Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
• Designate a “kid drawer” in the kitchen. Fill it with plastic containers, cups, lids, utensils, etc for your kids to play with while you make dinner. Contributed by Sharon
• Save a couple dishes for one of them to wash when you’re all done with the rest. (have towels on hand) Contributed by Rachel
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• Play with fake food or empty food boxes. Let the children pretend they are at a grocery store and “scanning” their items. Or play restaurant. Let the kids take everyone’s orders. Supply them with some receipt books, post-its, and an apron. Give them your order like you are at a restaurant, then they can bring out the pretend plates with the pretend food on it and the adults get to act like you are eating and drinking it! Contributed by Jeanna
• Though it does involve mopping up half the kitchen when they’re done, a great way to entertain a little one is the kitchen sink! They can happily stand on a (sturdy) chair and “cook” in the sink with whatever they can get their hands on! Contributed by Erika
• Make “pet doctor kits” with your child’s stuffed animals. Cut small holes in a box and thread a handle through the top. Fill box with all kinds of band aids, small wraps for imaginary pet wounds, a play stethoscope from a discount store, a play pair of glasses or even old sunglasses without the frames, a small blanket and pillow. Contributed by Jeanna
• Tea parties are a huge hit with little girls. Contributed by Jenn
• Make paper bag puppets and put on a puppet show. Paper lunch bags make great puppets. Use yarn scraps, fabric scraps, markers, buttons, googly eyes – whatever you have around the house – and help the little ones make a puppet. Then get them to come up with a puppet show to practice and present to the family. Contributed by Carmen at cre8andrecre8.blogspot.com
• Let children help you dust the furniture. Give them a duster with a handle and let them dust a bedroom or the living room. Pick up things ahead of them from the surfaces, and let them dust. You may be able to find a duster at a dollar store that’s a washable micro fiber with a handle that is easy to use. Contributed by Betsy
• Let children be your “big helpers.” Let them bring you shirts to fold, show them how to pick their toys, let them hold things while making dinner, etc. They like to be useful…get it while you can that phase does not last long. Contributed by Jana Pedowitz
• Cut and decorate big boxes to look like cars. Have a race. Contributed by Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
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Fun Fun Fun Fun withwithwithwith
Music Music Music Music
• Make a kitchen band – Keep an unlocked cabinet stocked with kid-friendly dishes. Pull out a few pots, plastic containers and wooden or plastic spoons. Then turn on some music and play/tap/bang/sing along. Contributed by Kelly at Keodieknits.blogspot.com
• Put rice or beans in pill bottles, vitamin bottles or other containers to make homemade rattles to sing along with. Children will be interested in the different sounds that rice versus beans makes in the container. Seal them well and let the children shake them to the rhythm of music. Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
• Make your own musical instruments. Store them all in a plastic tub. Contributed by Rebecca Shakers Use old Easter eggs, prescription bottles or other small containers and put in some rice, dried beans, or sand. The different things give different noises when shaken. It’s a good idea to use packing/mailing tape around the lids or the middle of Easter eggs to make sure they stay shut. Let the children decorate the eggs with stickers. Sand paper blocks Take scrap wood (you might even be able to get some for free from the local lumber yard or hardware store) and glue on some sand paper. They make a good noise when the sand paper sides are rubbed together. Also, you can use the other side of the blocks to make the 'clip-clop' of horses hooves. Drum Sticks Plain dowel rods work well for drum sticks, or for tapping together.
• Buy some of the smaller sheer scarves (raid your closet or make your own) and use them for dancing with music. Contributed by Rebecca
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• Make Ribbon Sticks and use them for dancing to music or even as fairy wands. 1" diameter inch dowel rods 18" strips of ribbon or pretty fabric with finished edges or no fray on the edges glue or rubber bands to attach ribbons to rods Get dowel rods, or even sticks from the yard, and tie ribbons to the end. Fasten them with broccoli rubber bands, glue or a staple gun. The length of the ribbons really depends on the size of the child. Toddlers will do better with shorter fatter dowel rods and shorter ribbons. Older children will be fine with smaller diameter dowel rods and longer ribbons. 3 ribbons of slightly different lengths work well and make it fun. Contributed by Rebecca
• There are many great kid’s music CD’s out there (Raffi is a good one). Try to offer a variety for the children: some classical, some bouncy, some slow, some fast. DANCE with them! It’s great exercise and quality time.” Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
Online Online Online Online FunFunFunFun
• Lots of fun ideas at the Craft Crow weblog: http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/. Contributed by Jen
• For a little rainy day fun let the children get on the computer and “do their Starfall work”. This site is great for two and three year olds. http://www.starfall.com. Contributed by Mary Beth foursillysisters.blogspot.com
• This post is full of wonderful ideas for keeping toddlers occupied in the car. http://nettacow.blogspot.com/2009/07/keeping-toddlers-occupied-in-car.html. Contributed by Lenetta
• Here is a site I found that has 101+ ideas for a sensory table, which could just be a large tupperware type container. http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/toddlers/centers/sensory_table.htm Contributed by Misty
• Jackie has a blog where she regularly posts pre-school ideas: http://pocketful–of–posies.blogspot.com
• Find printable activities including coloring pages, puzzles, learning pages games and flashcards at http://www.nickjr.com/printables/index.jhtml. Contributed by Summer at livingbeautifullyeveryday.blogspot.com
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All KindsAll KindsAll KindsAll Kinds Of FunOf FunOf FunOf Fun
• Let the child take a long baths with washrags and cups. Be sure to supervise the entire time. (Contributed by Rachel)
• Stringing beads on pipe cleaners or shoelaces. Contributed by Jen
• Offer the children building blocks and construction toys; Duplos for the little ones, Legos for the older kids. Provide anything they can connect, stack, and combine for different structures. Kids learn math skills and problem solving, as well as build their self-esteem when they create. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com and Dione
• Shoeboxes provide hours of fun. Use them for building and stacking. You can use them as blocks, build a fort, or turn a couple into pull behind “wagons” for stuffed animals. Try tying the lids to your feet and “skate” on the carpet. Contributed by Kelly at Keodieknits.blogspot.com
• Make your own Find It Bottle. You need: Empty water bottles sandwich bags rice food coloring small items from around the house–penny, matchsticks, paperclips, nails, pieces of ribbon, party favor leftovers, etc.
Place rice in a sandwich bag and add some food coloring. Squish it around so you color the rice. (It’s best to use two or three different colors in each bottle, but use separate bags to make them.) Fill up the bottle with colored rice and trinkets. Alternate so the objects aren’t all on the bottom or all on the top. For older kids use more rice to make it difficult to find objects, for smaller kids use less rice. Screw the lid on super tight-like you never plan to open it again! For littler children you can also leave out the objects and use a 2L bottle with some colored rice in it. Babies can crawl all over the house after it while it rolls. Contributed by Callie
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• Purchase small chalkboards or small dry erase boards. You may be able to find small wooden-framed chalkboards at a department store. You can paint the frames with bright colors and put the child’s name on it. Supply them with colored chalk and white chalk or big sidewalk chalk. Or give them small dry erase boards with markers. Contributed by Mia at miazshomeschoolminutes.blogspot.com
• Purchase a piece of Plexiglas (VERY cheap from local hardware stores). Cover the edges with tape. Place a piece of paper under it, then children can use dry erase markers to draw and erase over and over again. Great for shape practice, writing practice, or even just counting and drawing. Contributed by Amanda at thesikesfamily.blogspot.com
• You can buy large pieces of white board at home improvement stores at a very inexpensive price and then ask them to cut it down to sizes you can use for dry erase boards. Contributed by Lindsy
• Play Flashlight Tag. Give the child a small inexpensive flashlight. The little kids can just run and scream. The older kids can make up rules about how the “Tag” works. It is mostly like hide and seek with flashlights. You can even use the flashlights to make shadow puppets! Contributed by Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
• Pull a mattress onto the floor and let the children jump and play. Contributed by Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
• Cut up pool noodles into 3rds and play indoor baseball. Contributed by Jenn at path31.blogspot.com
• Cut a slot in the top of a plastic butter tub the size of plastic yogurt lids. Give the child ten yogurt lids to push through the slot, then open the lid so he can dump them out & start over. Contributed by Kelly at Keodieknits.blogspot.com
• Klutz books are worth checking in to. There are art books, but the game books are great, too. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• Elmo DVD’s are a hit! Contributed by Rachel
• Save all those return envelopes you find in junk mail so your little one can “mail” drawings to you. Contributed by Natalie
• Let older children take on some of the responsibility for helping the younger ones learn simple things (i.e. colors, shapes, tracing, etc.). This could take some of the load off the parents and give them “community service” credit (or whatever you want to call it). Contributed by Kirstin at raisingthekings.blogspot.com
• Get some letter magnets and put them on the fridge at eye level. This may be best for slightly older children who are learning how to read. Contributed by Jenn
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• Make blank books and let them write or illustrate their own books. Contributed by Jenn
• Keep a bag in the car filled with things like books that come with a cassette tape (much sturdier than cds) and a cheap Walkman. Kids love listening to their special books in the car. These also work well when children are stuck in the stroller. Eventually they will learn how to turn the pages with the beeps, but for a while even just listening to the story and looking at the pictures is fun for them. Contributed by Jeanna
• Boxes. Kids love boxes. Give them boxes, or gift bags that gifts came in, as they sometimes like these more than the gifts themselves. Contributed by Sharon
• Fill one zip-top bag about half full with hair gel (blue colored is best). Then let the air out as much as possible, turn it upside down and slide it into a second zip-top bag. When the bags are flattened out a child can write, doodle, or draw on them and then “wipe” it away and start again. Great for church, home, or anytime a quiet activity is needed. Contributed by Amanda at thesikesfamily.blogspot.com
• Children love to sort. You can change it up a little and do so many different things. Just draw different colored circles, give the child a handful of different colored buttons and let them go to town sorting....or putting 3 blues in the blue circle, 5 greens in the green circle, etc. Contributed by Reagan
• Make some cards 1-10 with construction paper and marker. Lay them out on the table and give your little one some buttons. They count the buttons out under #1…all the way through 10. I also do this with cards marked BIG and small, so they can practice sorting them. Contributed by Michelle
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• Supply the children with a large cardboard box. Collect empty plastic containers and lids of various sizes from yogurts, sour cream, etc. Pull the box out and simply let them play every few days. They’ll have more fun with these than a toy! Toddlers and even older children love to play and stack them and try to match the right lids. I sometimes keep a box in the laundry room and toss things like this in there along with empty salt boxes, jello boxes, oatmeal cans, empty drink containers, etc. and let the little peeps play "kitchen" or "store" or just build towers. Contributed by Donna at momsfrugal.blogspot.com
• Use small Ziploc bags for various items. (Beware of choking hazards for toddlers!) Fill one with popcorn, one with beans, one with packing peanuts, one with stale fruit loops or cheerios, one with various noodles, etc. Use these for counting or grouping objects to teach numbers. You can also use the same objects for a picture collage. Contributed by Donna at momsfrugal.blogspot.com
• Use the rectangle Styrofoam trays that produce and meat come in to make little airplanes. Round the edges so that if they throw them there's no danger of poking little eye-peepers! Contributed by Donna at momsfrugal.blogspot.com
• Children love to string beads, but they slip off thread or string so easily. Purchase some brightly colored pipe cleaners and a box of different colored beads, including lots of letter beads. The beads stay on the pipe cleaners much better than string! Contributed by Dawn M.
• If the child is interested in photography, supply them with a disposable camera and some scrapbooking materials. Contributed by Tammy at playforamoment.blogspot.com
• Find a small container with a lid that’s a bit tricky to get open – a film canister would work well for a 18-24 mo. old and something with a twist off cap would work for an older child. Then put a little treat or toy inside that the child would REALLY want. They will be occupied for some time and when they finally get it open and you still need more sanity time, just put something else in the container. It’s a very easy way to steal some sanity time and it also helps develop fine motor skills for little ones. Contributed by Lindsy
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• Tape a piece of contact paper on the refrigerator or a wall sticky side facing out. (Don’t put the sticky side against your new coat of paint… that may be an unfortunate event.) Put a basket with items of different textures and weights next to it and show the child how to stick the items on the contact paper and then peel them off again. You can use feathers, cotton balls, pieces of paper, combs, paint brushes, etc. It’s another fine motor activity that also fascinates most children. Contributed by Lindsy
• A favorite cheap/free toddler toy is an oatmeal canister with a slit cut in the top and either milk jug and/or juice caps to put in. Can be used as a sorting game (by color, etc) or for pretend play as “money” too. It grows with the child! Contributed by Katie at kitchenstewardship.com
• Children LOVE babydolls (even the boys) for playing dress-up, play kitchen food, blocks, etc. Contributed by Miracle at miraclequelle.blogspot.com
• Kids love a flannel board and stories! Contributed by Stephanie
• Try to find the book, “Things to Do With Toddlers and Twos” by Karen Miller. Contributed by Amanda
• Check out The Toddler Busy Book by Trish Kuffner Contributed by My Boaz’s Ruth at boazandruth.blogspot.com
• Make ramps out of books, cookie sheets, or anything else heavy enough to support the weight of a toy car, and let the kids “race” their cars down them. Contributed by Laura E.
• Books, books, books! Go to the library often! Contributed by Rachel
• Have kid-friendly photo albums… especially ones with pictures of them and their “extended” family in them. Contributed by Rachel
• Bubbles. Put dish soap and water (only an 1/8 to a 1/4 full) in a baking dish. Cut random sized plastic bottles (like 2 liters) at the top and bottom. Place one end in the soapy water to great different sized bubbles. Contributed by Nicole at bngasparks.blogspot.com
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I hope you enjoy all the many wonderful ideas in this ebook! May the time you spend playing with, learning beside, and loving your preschoolers be blessed and joyful!
Laura at Heavenly HomemakersLaura at Heavenly HomemakersLaura at Heavenly HomemakersLaura at Heavenly Homemakers
